The present invention relates to a battery receptacle connector, and particularly to a battery receptacle connector having a plurality of terminals firmly fixed in a dielectric housing and electrically connecting with a mating plug connector from more than one direction.
A conventional battery receptacle connector electrically connects a battery to a note-book computer or other electronic instrument for transmitting a current. Thus, the battery receptacle connector requires a relative large contact area between the engaged male terminals and female terminals, and together with a substantial normal contact force thereby decreasing contact impedance and heat resulting from the mating process.
A related conventional battery receptacle connector is disclosed in Taiwan Patent Application No. 84210634. Each terminal of the conventional battery receptacle connector forms a projecting rectangle for increasing the contact area thereof, but only has a single contact surface. Thus, the conventional battery receptacle connector does not provide a sufficient normal contact force to ensure reliable current transmission. In addition, in the general case, the terminals of the battery receptacle connector are often subject to mechanical shock due to repeated insertions/withdrawals, and often have a large mating resistance. Therefore, the terminals must be firmly fixed to a dielectric housing to withstand deflection and mechanical shock while still providing a normal force to reduce electrical resistance. However, the terminals of the conventional battery receptacle connector are fixed to a dielectric housing by several projecting points formed on T-shaped legs of the terminals, which is insufficient to provide proper engagement.
Another pertinent battery receptacle connector is disclosed in Taiwan Patent Application 83107591. Although terminals of the battery receptacle connector are firmly fixed to a dielectric housing, the terminals are engaged at a single contact point thereby providing insufficient contact area which does not promote proper battery receptacle connector performance.
Yet another conventional battery receptacle connector is disclosed in Taiwan Patent Application No. 83209060. Each terminal of the battery receptacle connector forms a double contact beam which clamps a mating terminal. However, the double contact beam is substantially a narrow cantilevered arm extending from the terminal, thereby exposing the terminals to large repeated insertions/withdrawals of the connector, and providing an insufficient normal contact force.
Therefore, conventional battery receptacle connectors can not satisfy the requirements of large contact area, sufficient normal contact force nor reliable positioning.